


Like Lightning

by unadulteratedhacylover



Series: Struck By Judy [2]
Category: Lost in Space (TV 2018)
Genre: Christmas, Don POV, Don is stupidly in love, F/M, Family, Fluff, Found Family, Gift Exchange, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Maureen is a softie, Missing Scene, Promises, Romance, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-01-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,938
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22284340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unadulteratedhacylover/pseuds/unadulteratedhacylover
Summary: This had been the best Christmas he had had in a long time. He had started to feel like a part of the Robinson clan and with Judy in his arms every night, he had started to dream he was a part of the Robinson clan. Now Maureen was standing here telling him he was an important part of their family. It gave him hope. Maybe he wasn’t being foolish. Maybe all those promises whispered in the dead of night could become reality. Maybe he was worthy enough of the good doctor and not some low-life smuggler.Missing scene from Christmas where Don and Judy exchange gifts. Contains spoilers for Season 2.
Relationships: Judy Robinson/Don West
Series: Struck By Judy [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1583251
Comments: 10
Kudos: 52





	Like Lightning

It had been two months since they had landed on this god forsaken water planet and Don West had never been happier. When Judy Robinson had come to his room in the middle of the night two months ago and asked him to kiss her, his whole world had changed. Now, after the rest of the Robinsons retired for the night, she would slip into his room, climb into his bed, her body soft and warm beneath his hard one as he kissed her until they were both breathless. Then she’d turn, her back to his front, and he’d pull her flush against him, his arm tight around her waist as they both fell into deep sleep.

Don hated to admit it but the nights she wasn’t there he was restless, cold, uncomfortable and he found himself lying awake until almost dawn wishing she was there with him. He had fallen hard for her and shit, if that hadn’t left him with a myriad of emotions he wasn’t even ready to explore.

When he found himself standing at the end of the only strip of land on this waterlogged planet with her, out of sight of her family and she took his hand, he knew all of that was about to change.

“It’s so beautiful,” she said, as she watched the lightning storm roll across the water. It was the first time they had seen it together. Her eyes were wide with wonder as she gripped Don’s hand tightly. “It’s terrifying. So much power. It could destroy so much in such a short amount of time.”

_It’s true,_ Don thought. But he wasn’t looking at the storm out over the water or it’s reflection in Judy’s helmet. He was looking at her. _You have that same power over me, and you don’t even know it._ He didn’t want to resist any longer. There was no point. This was Judy, _his_ Judy, and she had buried herself deep into his heart and there was no denying what he felt anymore.

\----

By the time Christmas rolled around, Don knew he was fucked ten ways to Sunday. Just one look from her and he couldn’t stop himself from grinning no matter who was around. When Penny commented on his appearance and Judy retorted with “Yeah, he finally showered,” he found himself smiling stupidly at her and responding with “I want to smell good for Santa” when what he really meant was “I’m doing this all for you, sweetheart.”

As Will read from Penny’s book talking about family, Don’s eyes found Judy’s and they shared a not-so-secret smile as her sister sat between them. He knew it was reckless – John and Maureen were sitting directly across from them – but he couldn’t help himself when she looked so beautiful with the glow from their makeshift Christmas tree behind her. The look lingered way too long, but Don didn’t care. He was so wrapped up in the moment, the holiday, the woman, the _feelings_ she brought out in him that it was worth the risk. But when Maureen cornered him on his way back to his quarters, he was sure he had been found out. 

“Don, a word?”

He followed her onto the bridge preparing himself for the verbal tongue lashing he was sure was coming. Hell, he was ready to defend himself, defend Judy, defend _them_ , because truth be told, Don wasn’t ready to give her up. Not now and if he was being honest with himself, not ever.

“Maureen…”

“Hold on, Don. Let me get this out.”

She walked to the front, leaned back against the main console and stared out the window. He followed her up there and leaned against the opposite console waiting nervously for Maureen to start. He could see the waves crashing on the shore before them, the moonlight creating a clear path down the beach. On another planet, in another environment, he’d be walking down that beach hand in hand with Judy in the moonlight. But they weren’t on another planet and he didn’t have the luxury of walking freely hand in hand with her.

“I know being stuck on a Jupiter with a married couple and their three kids is not what you had in mind when you signed up for this,” Maureen began. “And I know how trying my family can be. It seems we attract trouble wherever we go.” She laughed. “But no matter what trouble we’ve run into, no matter what obstacles, you’ve stood by us. You’ve taken care of Judy, Penny and Will and you’ve had John’s back numerous times. I can’t tell you how much that means to me, Don. How much that means to _us_. You have become an important part of our family and I thought you should know that.”

Maureen’s words hit home for him. This had been the best Christmas he had had in a long time. He had started to feel like a part of the Robinson clan and with Judy in his arms every night, he had started to _dream_ he was a part of the Robinson clan. Now Maureen was standing here telling him he was an important part of their family. It gave him hope. Maybe he wasn’t being foolish. Maybe all those promises whispered in the dead of night could become reality. Maybe he was worthy enough of the good doctor and not some low-life smuggler. Maybe one day he actually _would be_ part of their family.

“Getting stranded on a Jupiter with you overachieving Robinsons has been the best thing that has happened to me since I left Earth,” he said sincerely.

His response was met with silence. Maureen looked at him like she was seeing him for the first time, and he couldn’t blame her. Sarcastic Don West was the norm. Sentimental Don West was a whole new beast. But that’s what this family did to him. They made him want to be better. They made him care. He had taken on the role of quirky uncle for Penny and Will and wanted nothing more than to make sure they were safe and happy. As much as he hated to admit it, he looked up to John, envied the relationship he and Maureen had. And he wanted that future, all those things John and Maureen had, someday, with Judy.

Maureen was assessing him, trying to figure out where this new Don had come from. So, when she smiled at him a few nerve-wracking moments later, he knew that something had changed between them. There was a mutual understanding now, a respect that he only hoped would remain when she found out about his relationship with Judy.

“You never cease to surprise me, Don,” she said. “Thank you. For everything.” She placed a soft kiss on his cheek. “Merry Christmas,” she said, before leaving him alone on the bridge.

He stood there for a few moments gathering his thoughts. This day was like a dream. Ever since they had abandoned the Resolute all those months ago, it had been one fight after another just to survive. Having one day of normalcy, one day where they could just relax and enjoy each other’s company seemed so far out of reach it was inconceivable. But today had been that day. He smiled to himself. It wasn’t over yet. While he had come to terms with his feelings for Judy, he had yet to tell her, to say _those_ words.

He made his way back to his room and wasn’t surprised to see Judy already curled up in his bed. She had her back to the wall, Penny’s book open on her lap. She looked up when he entered, a slow smile spreading across her face.

“Hey.”

He walked over and sat down next to her on the bed. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Judy sighed in response laying the book down on the bed next to her and wrapping her arms around Don.

“What took you so long?”

“Your mother wanted to talk to me.” Judy raised her head.

“About what?”

“How she knows this isn’t the ideal situation being stuck here with you Robinsons, but she appreciates all I’ve done. Blah, blah, blah,” Don said casually, but Judy wasn’t fooled. She turned his face to hers, brows knitted together, serious look on her face.

“Don, my mother doesn’t say those things lightly. That’s important. _You’re_ important to this family. Believe that.”

His heart swelled. Damn, if he wasn’t becoming a sappy idiot. This woman had turned him into a big pile of mush and son of bitch, he wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Judy got up abruptly and grabbed a small box off the makeshift nightstand next to his bed that he hadn’t noticed when he walked in. She held it before her as she shifted nervously from one foot to the other.

“I thought we could exchange gifts now,” she said, her voice soft. She handed the box to him and he could see the slight shake in her hands. “It’s nothing fancy. I just – I hope you like it.”

Don took the box from her and set it down next to him then took both her hands in his. “Judy, no matter what it is, I’m going to love it because it came from you.”

She gave him a shy smile and Don’s heart clenched. Judy rarely showed any insecurities. Any hesitation, any sort of nervousness was never typical of her. For her to show those qualities now in a moment like this, he knew how much this gift meant to her. He let go of her hands and picked up the box, taking off the lid and placing it down beside him. Inside was a slip of paper handwritten in Judy’s neat script.

_Don,_

_These last 7 months have been the best because I have been with you._

_Merry Christmas._

_Love, Judy_

He glanced up at her to see her biting her lip nervously. The sight touched his heart. He reached into the box to pull out the item underneath. It was rectangular in shape, made of a thin white plastic, raised shapes all along the front side. He examined it closely, trying to decipher what it was. The confusion must have shown on his face because Judy’s laughter rang out before him.

“It’s a lithograph,” she explained. At his still obvious confusion, she walked up and reached her hand out to him. “Here. Let me show you.”

She walked over to the lamp on the shelf above his bed and placed the object before it. The second she did, the piece transformed, Judy’s face and his appearing like magic. He remembered the moment the image portrayed well.

It was the night of Judy’s nineteenth birthday. After everyone had gone to bed, she had come to his room. Don had whipped out a bottle of whiskey and they proceeded to get piss ass drunk. It was a night to remember. Judy was a happy drunk and it was infectious. Anything she asked of him, he was happy to oblige her. So when she asked him to take a picture with her and, at his hesitation, whispered huskily in his ear, “You’re not gonna refuse the birthday girl her wish, are you?” there was no way in hell he was going to say no. She lifted her tablet and they posed for the camera, all wide smiles and glassy eyes. At the very last-minute Judy turned her head, her lips landing on his cheek for the most perfect sloppy kiss ever.

Don smiled at the memory. He walked up behind Judy and wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. They both looked at the photo, lost in their memories of the night.

“I remember that night,” Don said, placing a soft kiss on her cheek.

“My first whiskey,” she said with a soft laugh. “But not my last. You’ve corrupted me, West.”

“And you love it,” he whispered, his hands sliding up to cup her breasts.

“Really, Don?”

He let out a hearty laugh before stepping away from her.

“Time for your gift.” He walked over to the duffel bag sitting in the corner and pulled out a small object wrapped in brown paper. When he turned, Judy was watching him curiously. “Close your eyes.”

She complied instantly, the lack of hesitation showing how much trust she put in him. He smiled to himself. This woman. Every day she gave him another reason to love her more.

He walked up behind her, removing the gift from its wrapping. It had taken him almost two months to make between his daily chores and trying to keep it a secret from Judy. He had been gathering the materials long before that, carefully choosing pieces from what he could find and what they didn’t need. It was a tedious process, but he had a vision of what he wanted it to look like. The ring was made from pieces of copper and titanium that he had welded together in a braided pattern. The resulting piece was unique and beautiful and something he was extremely proud of. Her knew she couldn’t wear it out in the open so he had taken a length of black leather and looped it through so she could wear it around her neck instead.

Don brought the leather around her neck, tying it off in the back. He laid the ring gently against her chest. It fell just above the valley between her breasts, low enough that she could wear it under most of her clothes without it being seen. He walked around to stand before her.

“Open your eyes.”

Judy’s hands instantly went to the ring around her neck. She ran her fingers over it, taking in the delicate design. “Did you make this?” she asked.

He nodded. He still couldn’t tell if she liked it or not. “The leather cord was my grandfather’s. It held his cross. My grandmother gave it to me before she died. I – I wanted you to have it. A part of my past and a part of our future intertwined.”

“Don…” She looked at him with her big doe eyes but said nothing else.

He wasn’t sure she got his meaning. He needed her to understand what this meant to him. What it meant for them.

“When I joined the crew of the Resolute, my only thought was escaping my life back on Earth. There was nothing there left for me. I just wanted to get away, start over. And then you walked into my life and turned everything upside down. There you were - this smart, beautiful doctor calling me out on all my shit from the moment we met. And as much as I tried to resist it, I fell for you, hard. I love you, Judy Robinson. So damn much it scares me. But loving you has made me the happiest I’ve ever been in my entire life.”

Judy was looking at him, tears in her eyes. She was clutching the ring in her hand against her chest. Don wanted to go to her, wrap her up in his arms, but he knew if he did, he wouldn’t be able to get this next part out.

“That ring is my promise to you. I promise that I will always be there for you. I promise that I will always protect you. Though, to be honest, you’re always the one saving me.” They both laughed thinking of all the times she had to patch him up. “Look, we don’t know how long we will be stuck on this planet or if we’ll ever reunite with the Resolute or make it to Alpha Centauri. If and when we do make it there, we don’t know what that will mean for us. But I promise you this, if anything should ever separate us, I will always find my way back to you.” He walked up to her and took both of her hands in his. “I’m making this promise to you now, but I hope one day I can say these words to you in front of your family and our friends as vows, the way you deserve to hear them.”

There were tears streaming down her face and Don reached out and wiped them away. Judy still hadn’t said anything, and he was starting to get nervous. Had he read her wrong? Did she not feel the way he did? Was he moving too fast? She was only nineteen. She had her whole life ahead of her. Why would she want to settle down with him? The panic started to rise in him. He began to step away from her, but she gripped his hands tightly and pulled him closer to her.

“I can see all those doubts swirling behind your eyes, Don. _Stop_.” Her hand came up to cup his cheek. “I love you, you idiot. I always will. I accept your promise and I would be proud to wear your ring.”

Relief flooded through him. This woman meant everything to him. He knew they didn’t have an easy road ahead of them. John could very well kill him when he found out about him and Judy. He could be sent back for more Earth runs on the Resolute instead of being allowed to stay on Alpha Centauri. And every day in space was a fight for survival. But he had Judy by his side and with her, he knew they’d get through it all.

**Author's Note:**

> This ended up way longer and way more fluffy than I originally planned. But there's just something about these two that turns my angst writing heart to mush.


End file.
